Ebullient Elephantiasis
by MsGranger
Summary: Ginny has an accident in Potions, and gets her comfort from an unexpected person... G/N? Sweet! PG for minor smooching, please R/R!


Disclaimer: Only Addy is mine, the rest belongs to you-know-who, err, I mean lovely Ms. Rowling.   
  
A/N: I'm pretending that Malfoy and his gang dumped - I need someone to torment Ginny! *smiles* It's Gin's 4th year.   
  
  
EBULLIENT ELEPHANTIASIS   
  
  
«Oh my word», thought Ginny as she walked into the Potions classroom - or dungeon, rather.   
  
The professor had obviously outdone himself this time, and conjured a large cauldron in the middle of the room, and piles of vegetable-like ingredients. The cauldron was half-full of water, and had four golden lion feet carrying it, slowly wagging from side to side.   
  
The Slytherins entered the room in company of their Head of House, Severus Snape. He was looking particularly evil for the occasion - whatever that might be -, and smiled maliciously to himself.   
  
Ginny sat down next to Adracion, or Addy fort short. She was a short and chubby Spanish witch who had been transferred to Hogwarts that year because her mother and father had divorced, and her mother was originally British. Despite her looks, Addy had a big sense of humour and was liked by everyone - especially Ginny.   
  
- Hey Gin, what's up?, Addy said when she sat down.   
  
- Oh, the usual, Ginny uttered. - Fighting off consistent admirers and film offers.. And yourself?  
  
Addy chuckled.  
  
- I've been a tad less busy than you today, I've had all morning off because they cancelled both Runes and Arithmancy!   
  
Ginny pouted. She had none of those subjects, and had been stuck in the tower learning Astronomy all morning.   
  
- And guess who I saw at the library.., Addy smiled.   
  
She was just about to answer when Snape gave a loud cough and asked if they would like to share their conversation with the class, in case they might learn from it.   
  
The two girls shook their heads.   
  
- In that case, said Snape. - 5 points from Gryffindor!   
  
Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle were sitting at the desk next to them, and laughed exaggerated at this.   
  
- There, there, said Snape. - It wasn't *that* funny.   
  
Then he walked up to the large cauldron and coughed again.   
  
- Today, students, we are going to learn how to make the Growth Potion. It is used to increase your own or other people's body size, either parts of the body -  
  
Snape looked at a group of Gryffindor boys who were sitting at the desk closest to him.   
  
- or all of it. Now, we have to be very careful not to add too much of any ingredients, because that'll be disaster. And for those of you without brains of your own -  
  
He scanned the Gryffindors.  
  
- disaster in this case, means that the body part or body on which the potion has been squirted, will *stay* enlarged. Capiche?   
  
Twenty students nodded, their eyes fixed on the professor. A shivering hand shot in the air, and a dark-haired Gryffindor boy asked what this was used for. Snape explained that it could be used to disable an enemy, but also scare one off. Or to enlarge your farming animals for more meat during a famine. «So it's not really a cruel potion», Gin thought. «Better concentrate, though».   
  
Addy and Ginny mixed a big portion of fine potion, but then Malfoy came over to see how they were doing, and 'accidentally' pushed Ginny's hand so that she dropped an ounce too much of the Auctus berries into the potion.   
  
Not knowing what to do, the two girls call for Snape to come and destroy the potion before anyone gets hurt. After taking another 5 points off Gryffindor, Snape turns to their cauldron and lifts it up to inspect the contents.   
  
- The berries have already taken effect, there is nothing you can do. You will not receive a mark in this assignment, Ms. Weasley, nor will you, Ms. Lopez. Understood?   
  
The girls nodded, and sat down again. Right that moment, Crabbe tried to force his oversized body past Snape, and Snape lost Ginny and Addy's cauldron down on the desk. The contents splashed, and Ginny, who was standing with her back to it, got her ears moist.   
  
They *grew*. And grew. And grew, until they reached the size of a size 8 pair of shoes, and Ginny screamed and clutched her ears. Then she ran out of the classroom.   
  
- Weasley, you're supposed to try this on a weasel! Uh, doesn't make much difference does it, Weasley?, cried Malfoy and the Slytherins joined him in laughter.   
  
Even the professor chuckled.   
  
Addy tried to run after her, but only got time to call «Go to Madame Pomfrey!» before Snape caught her and forced her back to her chair.   
  
  
**  
  
Ginny walked hesitantly up the stairs to Madame Pomfrey. Still clutching her big ears, big tears ran down her cheeks. She didn't want big ears. Not now, not ever! She was still crying when she entered Madame Pomfreys office. The old lady leaped to her feet as Ginny uncovered her enormous hearing devices, and told her to sit down on the examination bench.   
  
- Oh dear, whatever happened to you?, she asked and looked at her ears.   
  
Ginny sobbingly explained what had happened, and Madame Pomfrey shook her head.   
  
- How much berries to you reckon were in there, love?   
  
- About two ounces to half a cauldron, Madame, she said and glanced at her.   
  
A very worried look took place in Madame Pomfreys face.   
  
- I'm afraid I can't do anything with that kind of elephantiasis, love, not even a strong reversing spell can fix wild growing ears.   
  
Ginny's heart sunk. Sunk al the way down to the dungeons again.   
  
- But, there *is* a chance they will return to their normal size. You will just have to wait and see, love. All I can tell you is that not thinking about it quickens the process.   
  
She glanced at her with compassion.   
  
- Now, go to your house and have some rest. It takes a lot of energy to grow like that!, she said and smiled. - Off you go!   
  
The sad redhead with the shoe-ears obeyed; she left Madame Pomfrey's. But she didn't want to go to the dorm and she didn't want to go back to lessons, not with those ears. After wandering about in the halls for a while, Ginny decided on the owlry; at least there Pig was, he would listen to her.   
  
She climbed the stairs to the owl's residence, and walked over to the window. She looked out on the grounds and scanned the horizon. Then she got out her pocket mirror and looked at herself. Her ears were about two inches longer than her head, and about as wide as her hands. Again, she cried.   
  
Being a forth year with the prospect of never having a social life again, because of *Crabbe*, that silly bugger, was not what she wanted for herself. Or anyone else… Well maybe a few Slytherins. Okay, all the Slytherins.   
  
*Now* how would she get him to notice her? Well, notice maybe wasn't the word… *Everyone* would notice her now, with the big ears.   
  
Ginny let her body slide to the ground. She doubled up on the floor and sobbed.   
  
**  
  
Neville Longbottom came to the owlry half an hour later to fetch a school owl to tell his grandmother that he needed a few new pairs of socks, as the ones he had had been digested by Hermione's cat, Crookshanks.   
  
When he entered the circle-shaped room, his eyes fell on the little, still bundle in the corner. He walked over to it, and saw that it was a person - one of the Weasley's judging by the hair. It wasn't Ron…   
  
- Ginny?, he whispered. - Gin, is that you?   
  
A «yes» stifled by sobs came from somewhere inside the black and fiery red bundle, and Neville bent to squat next to her.   
  
- What's wrong, Gin? What happened?   
  
Slowly, Ginny set up and made an attempt to put her hair back in place. Then he saw. It wasn't like they were hideable, her ears. They were simply humongous. Nothing more, nothing less.   
  
He somehow managed to turn his urge to smile into a compassionate glance. «Growth Potion», he thought and remembered how his own fingers had looked after that lesson. But they had gone back to normal after an hour… Why was she crying?  
  
- Had a little trouble with potions, did ya?, he said and stroke a few hairs away from her head.   
  
She nodded, and dried a few tears off her cheek.   
  
- And I had too many berries in so they're gonna stay this way!, she sobbed.   
  
- Oh my… I'm sure they won't stay forever, Gin! Things like that never do.   
  
Neville got a worried look on his face as Ginny nodded furiously.   
  
- They *will*, Madame Pomfrey and Snape both *said so* and I am doomed to be an outsider for *ever*!   
  
At this, he snorted.   
  
- It's not that bad, really.   
  
She looked up at him and asked what he meant by that. Neville sat down next to her and looked friendly at her. Then he told her of how he had always been the one to be left out. Before he came to Hogwarts it was because he was odd. He hadn't known many magical children, and living with his grandmother *and* showing signs of magic himself, Muggle children had thought him weird. After he was accepted to Hogwarts, he had been accepted for his weirdness as everyone else were like him, but was further reduced to stupid and clumsy.   
  
Ginny stared at him with amazed eyes. This blonde boy with the round face who had always been present, always been there, though in the background of Ron, Harry, Hermione - in the background of everyone. Just because he was *clumsy*. And here he was, speaking to her, sounding almost intelligent. And he wasn't superior to her either, like the others used to be. He was just her level… her wave length. Fabulous.   
  
They stayed in the owlry for hours. They talked about what it was like to be in the background, being the weak one. Having five older brothers, Ginny knew exactly what it was like, and Neville on his side had been overprotected by his grandmother all his life.   
  
Neville felt like they had so much in common, so much to share. He looked at Ginny. Her red hair framed a lovely face with dark blue eyes and pink lips, which she constantly wet with her tongue. Her tongue was pink too. «Wonder what it's like to kiss her?», he thought. «It would feel like…» The little devil appeared on his shoulder. «Death!», it screamed. «Ron would kill ya, laddie!». True, Neville sighed within.   
  
- It's getting cold, Ginny said and glanced at him.   
  
«Why can't he just hold me?», she thought. «I want him to hold me…». In the four hours they had been sitting there, Ginny had developed a serious crush on this guy. Merely because conversation flew so lightly, because he understood her, and because his grey eyes were so perfect and clear and kind and…   
  
Neville carefully leaned over her. Ginny thought for a second that he was going to kiss her - hoped, maybe. But then he started rubbing her arms and back, in an attempt to warm her up.   
  
- Cold still?, he asked. - Maybe we should just go down again? It's getting late, too.   
  
Ginny nodded, and stood up. She brushed the muck off her robes, and then she noticed that Neville was just sitting there, looking at her. She grabbed his hand and ripped him out of his thoughts. He arose but stumbled and fell over her.   
  
Their faces were so close. Only inches apart… Neville blinked. They looked into each other's eyes, and then it happened.   
  
They kissed.   
  
Ginny's pink, moist lips and Neville's pale mouth-rims met, and they kissed. Tasted each other's lips at first, and then Ginny felt Neville's tongue wanting into her mouth.   
  
«My first kiss», she thought. «And it's a French one. Good girl!». She let him enter, and their tongues entwined. For a good minute, they kissed.   
  
Then Neville pulled away.   
  
- Oh my word, he uttered. - That… That was lovely. Are… are you all right?   
  
Ginny nodded, and returned the question. Neville smiled.   
  
- I am now, but if your brother finds out, I'll be dead as a fish!  
  
They both laughed, and she assured him that he wouldn't be executed.   
  
- But… does this mean we're a couple?, she enquired and looked insecure.   
  
Neville looked her deep in the eyes, and stroke her cheek.   
  
- If you want us too, he said at last. - I certainly do. Talking to you now has made me realise that I'm not alone… There *are* in fact people who understand me, who can even perhaps… maybe… possibly…   
  
He winced, didn't know how to say this. Ginny encouraged him with a nod.   
  
- Like me for *me*?   
  
She gave a great smile, and nodded. At the same time, she was amazed. Was that not what *she* had wanted to say? The exact same words?   
  
- I do like you, Neville. You understand me so well… and you know what it's like to be in the background of all those *fantastic* people. Just being a tag-along.   
  
He nodded, and smiled with her.   
  
- Then… let's face it together, shall we? The two of us together are strong.   
  
Ginny chortled at the cliché, but nodded, and accepted his hand when he reached out to her. Their finger plaited and their eyes sparkling, they walked down from the owlry together.   
  
No one had noticed that Ginny's ears were back to normal. Maybe she just didn't care?   
  
  
THE END  
  
**  
  
Now…? I like this couple. I really do. Do you? Please review! Thanks a lot!   



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